It's A New Year (2013)

Honestly, I haven't been looking forward to it. Perhaps the biggest reason is 2012 felt largely stagnant, and as far as resolutions go, I'm facing a lot of the same ones. 2012 wasn't all that bad. I may not have gotten a job in 2012, but I was fortunate enough to win prizes throughout the year, and hopefully that's something that carries over into the new year.

However, having said that, I do hope to get a job sometime soon (being jobless is rather annoying to say the least). I got to admit, I fell off the wagon (figuratively speaking, as I have no wagon) when it comes to my weight loss goal. I hardly went out during this past month on my nightly walks, and didn't eat the way I wanted to. That's something I'm looking forward to changing tomorrow (or today depending where your at while reading this, if your reading it that is).

It's Been A While...But I'm Playing Games Again

Thanks to the PlayStation Vita. It's what I got for painting. I got the Call of Duty bundle (was on sale for $200 on Black Friday), and I've already beat the game on easy (the solo campaign that is).

My initial impressions of the handheld are it's the best handheld graphics and visual wise. Games wise (meaning the games that are out on the system), the Nintendo 3DS is sitting at the top. The graphics you'll get on the Vita are either at PlayStation 3 levels, or near it, which again puts it ahead in that department.

As far as the Call of Duty game, I've only played the solo mode, and have yet to play the multiplayer aspect of the game. I found the campaign mode to be addictive, with my only complaint being the enemies intelligence. They shoot at you before your near them, which can take you some time to adjust.

Aside from the game, I also got Uncharted Golden Abyss (I've yet to play it), and a travel pouch (or whatever it's called).

Contest Wise, It's Been A Good Week

So this past week, I had a good week. It's been a while since I've updated this blog on my wins, but this week was good. I think I've used good enough in this entry, so I'll stop using the word for the rest of this entry. Anyways, it started out on twitter with a speaker system win. Same day, I got a phone call from a tv station. What did I win? I won 4 1-Day Disneyland tickets. Lastly, I won a Rayovac prize pack on twitter (which has an arv of $60+).

Nothing Like A Free Screening

Alright, so there is (winning free tickets to go to the movies), but still getting to see a movie before it opens is pretty neat (to say the least). That was the case tonight as I got to see Parental Guidance (the new movie starring Billy Crystal and others) that's due out on Christmas. As for how I got to see it ahead of time, well Regal sent out emails to Crown Club members earlier this week, and I clicked and was able to reserve 4 tickets at the local theater.

The move itself, largely in the beginning, it felt like a Billy Crystal flick (he had all the best lines, or at least I thought), then Bette Midler, and then the movie struck a balance halfway through and rode it to the end. Is it an award contender? No. However, it is a good comedy/family movie and I recommend it.

Not Being In The Right Place

Or at least the right frame of mind. It's a mixture of things to say the least. Ranging from a lack of job, to my living situation (it's rather hard living with someone that's incredibly negative, and that's putting it lightly), to a lack of progress. I'm not where I want to be in life right now, and it's frustrating.

Then today, I found a poem that my mom had started writing (she knew her time was short then), and reading the poem she copied, well it was kind of shocking to say the least. The poem was called I'm Free. I looked the rest of it up online, and well it's a touching piece (she didn't get to finish it), but it shows you where her mind set at the time.

That's all I really got now, so I'll leave it at that... In other news, I saw the Superman trailer today (second one) to the one that is due out next June, and I'll just say that I'm ready for it to be June already, although the month of May isn't going to be a slouch either, with Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness due out.

It's Been A While

It's been another few weeks since I last posted anything on my blog, and that's because I haven't had much to write about or I was too lazy to do so. It's probably a mixture of both, but likely mostly because I haven't had much to write about.

As for what's on my mind, it's pretty much a mixture of several things. Lack of a job, lack of people to buy gifts for with Christmas rolling around (actually it's more like speeding by then rolling around), my latest contest winnings (won't say what in this entry), and I'm not sure what else. I haven't been to the movies since Thanksgiving, in which I saw The Silver Lining's Playbook, and that will change either tomorrow, or for sure next week as The Hobbit is due out. I'm looking forward to it, just as much as I'm looking forward to seeing Les Miserables which is due out on Christmas this year.

Thanksgiving

The holiday is once again approaching (in two days to be exact), and to be quite honest, I'm not looking forward to it. I can't say exactly why that is, because not even I know. Maybe it's because of disappointment that I'm still living here (where I'm not happy), or maybe it's because there's only four of us, and my father has a negative attitude towards any holiday (only to paint a different picture when he's talking to others), or the fact that there was yet another argument less than two weeks ago. Either way, I'm just not looking forward to it.

Don't get me wrong, there are things I am thankful for, such as my church family, the fact I've won quite a bit of contests this year (has come in handy considering I still don't have a job). Speaking of contests, my latest wins have been an iPad 2 with 3G, and an iPad case. That's just two things I've mentioned. I'm not really sure what else I'm thankful for.

Two Movies In Two Days

Those two were Alex Cross and Lincoln. I happened to see Alex Cross in theaters yesterday, and Lincoln in theaters today. As for why I didn't see Alex Cross today, well the answer to that would be yesterday was the movie's last day at my local theaters. Having said that, if you feel like seeing a cheap action flick and at the very least being entertained for a few hours, then I recommend the movie. The movie stars Tyler Perry and Matthew Fox, and in my opinion, Matthew Fox was the star of the movie. To be honest, I felt the characters could have used better/more character development, and if it had, the movie probably would have been better than it was.

As for Lincoln, it's worth seeing while it's out in theaters. The movie stars Daniel Day Lewis (whom is likely to get nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards (just a hunch) as Lincoln, Sally Field as Lincoln's wife, Tommy Lee Jones (whom might get a Supporting Actor nod), and a small role played by Joesph Gordon-Levitt. (At least I think that's his name, the guy in Looper, Premium Rush, and The Dark Knight Rises, all in the same year by the way). The movie starts off 2 months after Lincon's re-election, and deals with the ending of the civil war, and the passage of the 13th ammendment, all of which of course centered around Lincoln.

There's not much else to say about the movie, other than it will probably get nominated for best picture (again, just a hunch).

Now as for why I saw two movies in two days, rather than the same day, that's because I've seen just about everything there is to see at my local theaters, and the only movies showing are ones I'm not interested in.

A Bond And A Pitch

Actually I just took the themes/titles of the last two movies I saw and threw them together. In this case, those movies would be Skyfall and Pitch Perfect.

Skyfall is the latest James Bond movie starring Daniel Craig, and is a rather solid entry in the 007 franchise. I enjoyed the movie, albeit thought they could have explained better how Bond survived his wounds (won't say which wounds), but it wasn't a glaring distraction for me. The villain in the film played by Javier Bardem was more of a throwback to other James Bond villains such as Jaws, and he really shined in this movie.

In terms of where I feel this movie falls in the Daniel Craig as Bond rankings, I would place this movie ahead of Quantum of Solace, but below Casino Royale.

Pitch Perfect was advertised as a comedy, and it did have its funny moments, but I wouldn't say it was a comedy. For what it was, I enjoyed the movie, although I felt it took a bit to long to establish where it was going, as the beginning of the movie seemed to drag a little. The film was based on collegiate acapella groups and competitions, and with that, that's where I'll leave it at.

Nothing Like Seeing 3 Movies In One Day

That is unless you see 4 or 5 in one day, which I have on more than one occasion (5 coming during the Best Picture Showcase at AMC, and 4 on several occasions). Those three movies I saw today were Wreck-It Ralph, The Man With The Iron Fists, and Flight.

I'm not going to go into detail on them, I'll just give a few brief thoughts on them. Wreck-It Ralph is a must for anybody that's ever played video games. There are quite a few characters ranging from Street Fighter characters, Sonic, Robotnik, Bowser, Pac-Man, and of course more. The movie takes the number 2 spot in terms of my pick for best animated movies this past year (although I haven't seen Hotel Transylvania). The first would be Brave.

The Man With The Iron Fists, was a throwback (with a modern touch) Kung-Fu movie. The movie had a lot of violence, and if you are a fan of old Kung-Fu films, then this one might be worth it for you.

Flight starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, amongst others. I enjoyed the film, and thought Denzel Washington delivered a performance that could very well get him nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards. It's also possible the film itself gets nominated for Best Picture. Whether it wins or not, I don't know and won't speculate, because well we're two months away from any nominations.

Saw Two Movies

So the last few weeks, I haven't posted much about movies, because I haven't gone to the theaters (which is a shocker, but also shouldn't be much of a shocker, as I'm not working, and chose to save money I do have rather than spend). Anyways, as to why I chose two, well one movie was a buy one get one ticket free, and the other I had a free movie ticket.

Those two movies that I saw today were Won't Back Down, and Argo. Both of the movies were really well done, and I really enjoyed both films. Argo in my opinion is going to be nominated for Best Picture and perhaps a whole lot more (or at least should) when the Academy Award nominations are announced. The movie was that good. Won't Back Down had a couple of good performances from Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Viola Davis. The movie almost had somewhat of a The Help feel to it, and perhaps that's because Viola Davis almost plays a similar kind of role in this movie as in The Help. I won't say much as to why I draw that conclusion, as I don't want to spoil the film.

Argo on the other hand, I won't go into detail, but I will just say it's one of Ben Affleck's best movies, and he directed it. Ben Affleck is actually a pretty good director in my opinion, well at least with the last two movies I've seen of his that he's directed (The Town and Argo).

New Pop Tart Flavors

While out today (saw two movies, more on that in next blog entry) at Target, I browsed the pop tart section, only because I remembered there was a new flavor of pop tarts at Target, and those were the Cupcake flavored pop tarts. Surprisingly, there are also three limited edition flavors, and those are marshmallow and chocolate, apple pie, and of course pumpkin pie. Needless to say, I had to buy them. I'll post my thoughts on the flavors in a later entry (if I remember to).

Again, these were available at Target, and I'm not sure where else they are available at.

Haven't Posted In A While

Or at least it feels like it's been a while.  Quite honestly, I haven't had much I've felt like blogging about. Movie wise, I've only seen one movie in the last two weeks, and I might go see a movie or two tomorrow. The movie I saw was Looper, but I won't go into the movie. I'll wait until after I see a couple of more movies or something.

As far as my job search goes, there's no progress, and I guess there's no reason to get too down on it, but it'd be nice to get a job so I can save up and move.

Contest wise, I haven't won much since my last posting. Only things I've won recently are a backpack, a small bag of coffee, and a blu-ray copy of Cabin In The Woods (which I'm still waiting to receive). 

Prizes I've Won, And Haven't Found A Use For

For those that have read my blog, I've been fortunate enough to win contests every now and then. I use a lot of the prizes I win, and sell those I have no use for. However, there are still some that are more difficult to get rid, and by get rid of, I mean sell, than others.

Those prizes are the following pictured ones:

That is a Tony Stark Acura model car from the Avengers movie

Those three pictures are a USA Network pack I won, consisting of a beach towel, lotion, bottle, two head hammocks, two shirts (size Medium), and of course the Nautica waterproof bag. It's meant for the beach, which of course I don't go to.

Two Baseball Games In A Week

I went to two baseball games this week. I went to the Angels game on Wednesday as they took on the Rangers (they lost), and I went to today's )fan appreciation) game against the White Sox (they won). Normally, I would have gone to church, as that's what I usually do on a Sunday, but I woke up today wanting to go see the Angels play, so that's what happened.

There weren't that many people that showed up today to be quite honest, and I'm guessing that's probably because the Angels are still 2 1/2 games out of a wild card spot, and well on a Sunday, and with the season coming to a close, I'm guessing a lot of people stayed home for football.

There was a giveaway item, which was a cheap poster, with next year's full schedule on it, which I believe this is the earliest the schedule for next season has been released, which is a good thing as you can plan out games for next season, earlier.

4 Movies Out Today, I Saw 3 Of Them

That's right. There were four new movies out today, and those were Dredd, End of Watch, Trouble With The Curve, and House at the End of the Street. The only movie I didn't see, was of course the last film mentioned.

Dredd is of course the rebooting of the Sylvester Stallone Judge Dredd franchise, and it is one of the rare (at least I think it's rare) where the reboot is better than the original. With this reboot, it's not close, this movie is better. There is certainly more action in the film, and more violence in this film, compared to the original. In the film, Dredd trains a rookie named Anderson, whom is played by Olivia Thrilby, whom shines in this film, especially as it progresses, and their is good chemistry between Karl Urban, and Oliva Thrilby.

I won't go into plot of End of Watch. If you haven't seen the trailer yet, you should, and that's basically the plot of the film. The movie was better than I thought it'd be, and I felt the ending didn't do the film any justice, primarily the film was mostly realistic throughout, but unrealistic in the end.

Lastly, the baseball film Trouble with the Curve. This film could be a possible award nominee come Oscar time, but that could easily change as other movies come out between now and the end of December. If your thinking this film is another Moneyball, don't, as you'd be disappointed. This film is completely different and centers around a scout for the Atlanta Braves, whom is old and has eye problems (played by Clint Eastwood), and his daughter (played by Amy Adams, whom has inherited her father's baseball instincts) in the Carolina's as they scout the top prospect going into the draft. They have their issues, as they don't exactly get along, and that plays itself out throughout the film.

If I were to recommend any of the movies, in order: Trouble with the Curve, Dredd, and End of Watch. All three were good (in my opinion), but those were how the movies ranked with me.

Home Church Starts Today

As of right now, there are only two days I really look forward to (on a consistent basis), and those are Sunday, and Tuesday's. However during the summer, that wasn't the case, as home church was on hiatus, and hence there was nothing on Tuesday. That all changes today, as home church starts today (for my home church that is), as there are two other days I could attend if I chose to.

There's no point to this entry however. I thought I'd just share what I've been looking to for a while now.

Yet Another 3 Movies

Last Friday, I did what I normally do on Friday's (as you can tell if you read my blog), and that is to see more movies. I saw another 3, as you can tell from this blog's entry. Those three movies were: The Words, Branded, and The Cold Light of Day.

Out of the three movies, I would recommend The Words, and then The Cold Light of Day, if you are looking to see a thriller/suspense movie. Admittedly, The Cold Light of Day does take a while to find it's rhythm, but once it does, it gets good. The Words on the other hand, in my opinion didn't suffer from that, and is the first in a long line of movies between now and the end of the year that could get nominated for awards come the Academy Awards next year. Jeremy Irons in the film delivers a solid performance, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him nominated for Best Supporting Actor. I was right last year, regarding Nick Nolte getting nominated in Warrior, so who knows, maybe I'll get another one right.

Branded on the other hand, was different to say the least. I knew that beforehand going in, but I didn't realize it would be different and bad, as it did when the film started using CGI. The CGI in the film looked as if it was stuck in the early 90's, and as a result the film suffered. The film centered around advertising and corporate brands, and was watchable until, the main character in the film started seeing things that others couldn't see, and hence the CGI.

Progress...Finally

On my weight loss/diet. I haven't weighed myself, and don't intend to just yet, but I've finally gotten to eating how I was the last time I lost weight, and it's exactly where I want to be. It hasn't been a one day thing, but I have eaten well (and haven't cheated) for the last eight days.

This next week, I will continue eating well (without cheating), and I will progress my walking from 30-45 minutes, to one hour to one hour and 20 minutes. Using a treadmill isn't really an option for me, as it's hotter than hot in this house (and we're not using the air, even though it's in the upper 90's to 100 degrees.

Add Another 3 Movies To My Summer Tally

As last Friday I saw three movies. I would have posted this entry sooner, but I haven't been in the mood to do so. Those three movies I saw on Friday were Hit & Run, Premium Rush, and Celeste & Jesse Forever. I think its safe to say that this was my most flawed movie day, being that there were flaws in all three movies, more so than other movies I see in one day.

The movie Hit & Run is co-directed and written by Dax Shepard. Also co-starring in the film is his real life fiancee Kristen Bell, Tom Arnold, Michael Rosenbaum, and Michael Cooper (of Hangover fame), who happens to give John Travolta a run for his money in horrible hairdo's in film. The film was fairly decent, until you (the audience of the film) start to think, and then you'll roll your eyes, and the rest of the movie tends to lose its appeal. The moment in the film where this happens is when Kristen Bell's character finds out her boyfriend's real name and past (a year after dating, might I add), and any sense of reality is lost afterwards. I won't say more about Dax Shepard's past in the film (he plays her boyfriend in the film), as I don't want to spoil the film, just in case anyone actually wants to go see it.

God Has A Plan

I firmly believe God has a plan for everyone, and at the same time, I'm struggling to figure out what my plan is. For a while now, I've been struggling with the question of what's my purpose in life is. I haven't had any luck on the job front, I'm stuck living at home where I don't get along with my father, and moving out isn't an option, because well I've only got about a couple hundred to my name.

I've just felt incredibly stuck this year, and more and more recently. I don't think I've made any progress of where I wanted to be at this point in my life, and its frustrating. As far as that purpose in life, all I know is I like helping others. Simply put. If you ask me for help, chances are I won't turn you down. If it's just listening to someone, I can do that. From others, I've been told I'm a good listener, although I'm not entirely sure that means anything.

I don't think I really had a point with this entry. Just that I'm feeling frustrated (maybe putting it lightly), and I'm ready/needing a change.

Weight Loss Progress...Or Lack Thereof

Seriously, I don't think I've made a dent in where I want to get down to, and feel more than anything I'm just maintaining. It's harder than it seems to lose weight (again), and motivate yourself all over again. Plus not to mention the lack of good workout/walking shoes compared to last time is an issue (and getting new ones anytime isn't really an option as there's the lack of a job thing holding me back).

Starting tomorrow, my goal is to start using the treadmill in the morning (first thing in the morning, as using it later in the day isn't an option as we don't really use our air conditioning in a way that makes it an option to use it later), and continue walking at night. Once I'm able to get going in that routine, my next goal is controlling the way I eat (again), and finding the right motivation.

Summerslam 2012

Yesterday was a day of firsts for me. Well I don't know about more than one first, but it was my first WWE pay-per-view event, and one of the company's biggest. The event was SummerSlam. I've been to several television events of Raw, SmackDown, once they filmed both on the same day (was called a Super Show), house shows, but none quite like this.

The differences among them are simple. The house shows are the events where they will interact more with the fans and allows the wrestlers to develop/work on new and existing feuds before they move it on to tv, or continue feuds that are currently on tv. Raw and SmackDown are the shows on Monday Nights and Friday Nights (although SmackDown has been live on Tuesday nights more and more recently). Raw is now a 3 hour show every week, and SmackDown is still a 2 hour show.  SummerSlam is perhaps the third biggest ppv for the company (or at least tied for third with Survivor Series), behind the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania.

Another difference between the Raw and SmackDown events compared to SummerSlam is after the Raw and SmackDown shows (once they stop filming), they will have a bonus match, which is often used to send the fans home happy, and is often used for the top face of the company (face=good guy) to thank the fans for coming out.

30 And Counting

Counting the movie I'll be seeing tomorrow, I will have been the movies 30 times this summer:

The Five-Year Engagement

Avengers (Twice)

Dark Shadows

Battleship

What To Expect When You’re Expecting

Men In Black III

Snow White & The Huntsman

Prometheus (Twice)

Madagascar 3

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Brave

Seeking A Friend

Ted

People Like Us

The Amazing Spider-Man

Savages

Ice Age

Dark Knight Rises (4 times)

The Watch

Total Recall

The Bourne Legacy

The Campaign

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Hope Springs

Expendables 2

By comparison, looking at my totals for last summer, I saw 29 movies in theaters, and 26 of those were different movies. As of right now, 22 of the 30 I've seen are different movies, and there's still a few weeks left of summer. 

While In Vegas, See More Movies

I recently got back from Vegas two days ago. I was there from Sunday through Wednesday. I went with my father and brother, and the highlight of the trip was perhaps the six movies I saw. In addition, I also saw my first Triple A game (I'll get to more on that later).

The hotel we stayed at was Southpoint. If you've never stayed there, I recommend it. It has a mini arcade, a bowling alley, and a first run Cinemark movie theater on the second floor. This was our first time going to Vegas since around 2009, and like the last time, instead of stopping in at state line, we went straight into Vegas and stopped at the Rio and ate Sunday Brunch at their Carnival Buffet. We made good time, as we got in right when church would have normally been starting for me (10 am).

 If you've ever been there, you know what you get, with buffet stations spanning the room (big at that), with food selection varying from American to fish, to Asian, and Mexican, and a center island with desserts (left a lot to be desired). The only desserts I found worthwhile there was the bread pudding. Half the desserts were sugarless, so I skipped those, and there were mini cake squares, but there were flies on them, so I skipped them.

Feeling Stagnant

Lately, I've been feeling rather disappointed with this year in general, and the past few weeks, even more so. In many ways, I've been feeling discouraged. Last year it felt like I was making progress, as I finally got my drivers license, and well this year, I've yet to experience anything where it feels like I'm moving forward.

As for why I say the past several weeks, it has to do with a lack of job for starters. Coming to a realization that I more than likely won't be able to come up with the money to buy 4 better tickets for Summerslam on the 19th, as that's been on my mind as well, among other things.

Saw A Movie Before Vegas

So, Sunday at this time, I'll be in Vegas, but tonight I saw the new Bourne movie. It's the latest installment in the Bourne franchise, called the Bourne Legacy. Jason Bourne isn't recast in this film, rather the film follows someone else that was in the same program as Jason Bourne, played by Jeremy Renner. In my opinion, it's a good transition, and without spoiling any of the movie, I can see it leading to a movie with both characters in a movie.Well at least that's where I hope it ends up.

If you haven't seen at the very least, the last Bourne movie prior to this one, do so before going to see this, or you'll be having a serious case of confusion, and you'll ultimately be clueless as you sit through the film. I saw enough of the last one to keep up with the movie, but honestly I've never seen the first two movies in the franchise.

That's all I've got for this entry, as I don't feel like going into much detail about the movie. I recommend it, if you've seen the last one, and of course don't recommend it if you haven't.

Summerslam In Two Weeks

Well, actually it's less than two weeks, as it's on the 19th. As of right now, we're sitting in section 114, which is off to the side of the stage, and they are limited view seats. I'm looking into buying better seats off stubhub, ones that will allow us to see everything, and well, let's just say it's one of those situations where I wish I had a job.

I sent an email to Staples Center about the tickets, and they said to talk to a vendor if we can't see, and they will try to get us to better seats. As of right now, I'm contemplating selling the iPad I won so I can get better seats. It'd be 4 seats total (same that we have now). I haven't had any luck selling the new mattress I won either. Figuring I'd be able to sell it for $800-$750, as it is a $1,030 mattress.

Vegas Trip Coming Up & Another Win

This time next week, I'll be in Vegas on vacation. At least that's the plan, and as of right now, it's a go. I'll be going with my younger brother (he's 22), and my father. The only thing I'm hoping for during the trip is that he doesn't complain/bash others, but I don't have too high of hopes on that front.

As for the hotel/casino we'll be staying at, we'll be staying at Southpoint. It's the first Casino (at least I think it is) as you hit the casino's in the heart of Vegas. The casino itself is nice. It has a fairly big Sports Book, which is where I'll be sitting at watching the games. In addition on the second floor is a bowling alley, and a first run movie theater. I have about three or four movies scoped out that I'm going to try to see (we'll be there 3 nights).

Now, onto the win. I don't really want to say what it is, but it is a LiveNation prize, and it is fairly big. I'll post more about it when I get it, but I already sent in the required paperwork. 

My Last Two Biggest Prizes Have Arrived

Over the last two months, the two big prizes I've won are the Queen Size Mattress set, and an Apple iPad (the newest one). I received the iPad a little over a week ago, and today, I received the mattress set I had been waiting on. Overall, the turnaround time for the mattress was about a month (or so). 

So far this week, I've been fortunate enough to win a free dinner at Fire & Ice (I'll be getting a coupon in the mail), a free movie ticket (used it to see the Dark Knight Rises on IMAX), a $50 Visa Giftcard, and two tickets to see the new Bourne movie due out in theaters next Friday. I also had to turn down a prize (which was two tickets to the Expendables 2 premiere in LA), as I'll be coming back from vacation on the day it's being held.

Two For Tuesday

Well the two being I saw two movies yesterday. Those two being The Dark Knight Rises (on IMAX) and The Watch. I won't share any thoughts on the Dark Knight Rises, as I've done that already, but I will just say that if you can see it on IMAX while it's still showing on an IMAX screen, I recommend anyone to go do it. Another thing I noticed is that there were no trailers shown prior to the movie (as on other showings of the Dark Knight Rises, you do get trailers), so if you do go and see it, get there early so you don't miss any of the film. I went with my brother (which normally I'd have gone by myself), and we went before noon, so the price was $12.50 ($18.50 passed noon). However, being that it was $12.50, I only paid $2.50, as I won a movie ticket before I left yesterday, and wisely used it to buy my ticket for the Dark Knight Rises.

An Angel Game From A Suite

That was how I spent my Sunday after church. I was able to go to the game thanks to a friend, and my brother went, as well as my friend's son. We didn't get to the game until the bottom of the third inning, but seeing as how I had left the Texas game early about a week before, things evened out.

This was our first time in a suite, and to say that we had a good time would be an understatement. There was plenty of food, and drinks, and that kept us occupied in an otherwise forgettable game. The Angels took on the Rays that day, the first start for Zack Greinke as a member of the Angels, and the end result was a 2-0 loss to the Rays.

Dark Knight Rises And An Angel Game

No, not on the same day, but that summed up my weekend. I went to the Dark Knight Marathon at the local AMC, and thus got to see the Dark Knight Rises at midnight, and I also went that same night to see it on AMC's ETX screen (which is their biggest screen, that although big, still pales in comparison to the IMAX screens). As for why I saw it again on the same day, it's simple. I won two tickets and chose Friday night.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises (kind of obvious since I've seen it twice already), and it surpassed The Avengers as my top movie for the year. As far as top spot goes, I guess you can put that in the blockbuster category, as the movies that are usually nominated for Academy Awards (Best Picture, etc.) have yet to come out, and those are in a category all on its own.

Two Movies This Week And A Win

So this week, I saw a rather dismal (on my standards) two movies this week. Those two movies were Savages (saw it on Wednesday) and To Rome With Love (saw it today). Of the two movies, both had their positives, and both had their negatives. As far as which one I enjoyed more, it's a toss-up, with To Rome With Love edging out Savages. However, having said that, both movies are completely different genres. It's like asking who's better. Kobe Bryant or Tom Brady. Both completely different sports (aka genres).

I'll start off with Savages. The movie started off slowly in the first 10 to 15 minutes, with Blake Lively setting up the movie (via narration). Normally I'm ok with a movie starting off slowly, but I'm not a fan of Lively (carried over from Green Lantern), and well in my opinion she was the weakest part of this film as well. The actor that shines the most in this film is Benicio Del Toro. The film centers around two best friends, Chon and Ben (played by Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson respectively), whom their girlfriend (yes you read that correctly, their girlfriend, meaning they all live together and have the same girlfriend, played by Blake Lively) is kidnapped by a Mexican Baja Group, led by Selma Hayek (she does play a rather convincing villain in this film), and thus the premise of the film is born.

Breakfast Of Champions And A Conference

Most Friday's, I'll find myself going off to see a movie, or staying home doing nothing (don't have a job), well today was different, as I helped a friend at the Convention Center in Ontario (for the BIC General Conference. As far as what I was helping out with, it was setup (which was first the unloading of two trucks), topped off with a trip to Jack in the Box. We didn't actually eat there (had to get back to help some more), so we finished eating in the the truck.

Upon getting back, the sound/technical crew no longer needed our help, so we helped in other areas within the Convention Center. The type of help ranged from putting slips in bags (which each attendant received), putting chairs in various rooms, carrying other equipment to various rooms, and so on. We got there at 7ish this morning, and stayed until noon, of which the last hour or so involved mostly sitting around.

4 Movies This Week

That about sums up my week. I saw one movie on Monday (Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter), and I saw three yesterday on Independence Day. Those three in order were (People Like Us, Ted, and The Amazing Spider-Man). Aside from the three movies on Independence Day, we ate at Red Lobster after seeing Ted, and got done eating 40 minutes before Spider-Man started.

Having said all that, you'd think the holiday was a good yesterday considering I was with family, and we saw all those right? The answer would be wrong. My father (whom I've mentioned before in my older blog entries) put a hamper on everything with complaining (when it wasn't warranted), and bashing my brother and I, while he was walking with my younger brother. What I'm left with after last night, is looking to do something for upcoming holidays apart from my father. The trouble with that, is I have no job, so I'm essentially stuck right now.

Started July

By going on an hour plus walk, followed up with a half hour walk today. My goal is to get back down to 200 and go from there. I'm quite a ways away from it, but that's alright. I realize how long it will take.

Earlier this morning (July 2), I won a new Queen mattress set in a contest, which was a nice way to start off the week. Without a doubt, it's my biggest win since I won the laptop a few months ago, and the biggest since I won the tennis racquet back in December.

Job wise, still nothing, and not sure where that's headed, so there's not much to offer on this front. Thinking of doing some volunteering soon, although I'm not sure where as of right now.

That's about it for this entry, just thought I'd post a little something, since it's been a week since I last posted.

To Be Brave Or Seek A Friend

That is not the question, but rather a play at words, with regards to the two movies I saw today. Those two movie's were Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World and Disney/Pixar's Brave (in that order).

The first movie actually had nothing to do with the end of the world, so that was disappointing in and of itself. Alright I'm just kidding. The film actually deals with the last three weeks of the world, as that's how much time there is until a comet hits earth. The film actually gets you to think (well at least it got me to thinking). What would you do if you knew you only had three weeks to live? That's basically the plot to the movie, but in between that is an unlikely friendship, and a bond that grows throughout the movie between Keira Knightenly (Penny) and Steve Carrell (Dodge). I found the movie to be enjoyable once Keira's and Steve's characters first interacted, and I'd say the movie did start off a bit slow, but once it did, again, it was enjoyable.

Disney's/Pixar's Brave was better than I thought it'd be, but in all honesty, I found it to be one of Pixar's better films (certainly better than Cars, and Cars 2). It's about a Princess not wanting to go with her mother's wishes of getting married to a suitor, and thus runs away, and comes across a witch, whose spell will change her mother, but not in the fashion in which she wanted. That's pretty much the plot of the film, and won't go into more detail, as I'd just ruin the movie. This is the second animated film I've seen this month (the other being Madagascar 3), and I'd say this one ranks as the best so far. That will be tested though, as Ice Age 3 is out in July, with other animated films due out in September and beyond.

Contests In June...

June's more than halfway over, and in terms of contest wins for myself, it's been an ok month. I've won a pair of earrings (that I'm keeping, not for myself, but keeping, as their women earrings, which goes along with the necklace I posted many entries ago), a Scout Timbuk2 Messenger Bag (which costs $110), a Hockey Night in Canada jersey (which costs $130), which came along with NHL 12 for the Xbox 360 (new, btw), a $15 amazon gift card, and I think that's pretty much it (unless I'm forgetting something).

I'll more than likely be looking to sell the messenger bag, and the jersey (it's a size large, but looks bigger than a large (as it is Canadian).

In Terms Of Walking

I'm on track, but not quite where I want to be at. My goal this summer is to lose weight, and I'm fairly confident I'll be able to do it (as I've done it before). Since June 2nd, I haven't missed a day/night of walking, and my time for the most part ranges from 35-45 minutes a night. My goal is to average an hour a night (at the very least). My next step is eating, and that's coming along as well, and not quite where I want it at either (meaning there are days where I eat more than I want to).

I'm not impressed that I've yet to miss a day since I've fully started with my goal, but I'm encouraged. Only reason why I say that is I know what it takes to lose weight (as I've done it before), and my longest streak was 2 years (straight).

6/20/12 Angels And Giants

Yesterday was the first time I saw the San Francisco Giants play in person, in quite a while. The last time I did so, was at Dodger Stadium maybe 7 (or slightly longer than that) years ago. This was also the second game I've been to this week (with games 3 and 4 coming this Friday and Saturday, as the Angels take on the Dodgers).

The game started off with the potential of it being a pitcher's duel, with Weaver making his return for the Angels, going up against the Giants Voelsong (or however you say his last name). The first inning lived up to it, but the second inning for the Angels kind of proved that wrong as the Angels jumped out to a 1-0 lead thanks to a solo home run from Alberto Callaspo. From there, Weaver settled into a grove and went 6 strong innings, and the Angels went on to add 5 more runs (2 of which came from back to back shots from Morales and Trumbo).

Fire and Ice, A Ballgame, And Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day, and instead of going to church, we went out to Fire and Ice, and afterwards the Angel game. Church wasn't an option for us yesterday, because of the brunch, and the game starting at 12:35.

I didn't take any pictures of Fire and Ice (which is located in Anaheim), but if you've never been, it's worth going (at least once). You gather your food (which isn't cooked), and there are one or two cooks in the center cooking on a big open grill thing, and they cook it for you on the spot. For Sunday Brunch, they will cook pancakes, burritos, burgers, any pasta combination you can come up with and more. The hours for brunch are 10:30 to 3. If you aren't able to make it for brunch, they do the same for lunch and I think dinner (have never been for dinner). The brunch I believe is on Saturday's and Sunday's.

What Does A Circus And Space Have To Do With Each Other?

Nothing, it's just I saw two movies whose plot's dealt with what's in the title. The first movie dealt with the circus (Madagascar 3) and the second movie dealt with space and beyond (Prometheus). I would have saw another movie, but I decided not to, and will put it off until the next time I go to the theaters (which will probably be in two weeks).

As mentioned, the first movie I saw was Madagascar 3. I decided to see this one, because I actually like animated films, and I thought it'd make for a good blog entry. Compared to the animated films released last year (outside of Tin Tin, as that was the best one), this was one of the better animated films I've seen in a while. If you've seen the Penguins of Madagascar series, you might be disappointed as just about the only voices that are the same from the show and movie is Skipper and Mort. It has been a while since I've seen the other Madagascar films, so I wasn't expecting this. Regardless of how I feel (the voice acting on the series is better), it wasn't that big of a negative for me, as I still ultimately enjoyed the film.

Nintendo's 2012 E3 Showing

Nintendo entered today poised to win E3 with the showing of the Wii U (the new Nintendo console due out in either October or November), and Nintendo somehow managed to drop the ball (probably putting it lightly). The new games shown were New Super Mario Bros. U, ZombiU, Pikmin 3 along with games already released on other platforms: Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition, Mass Effect 3, and Assassin's Creed III.

Nintendo then went on to show games that won't appeal to their hardcore gamers, which would be Scribble Nauts Unlimited. Perhaps Nintendo's biggest dud of their conference was Nintendo Land, which will bring incorporate the Miiverse that Nintendo revealed on Sunday, and apparently showcase the capabilities of the Wii U like Wii Sports did for the original Wii.

As far as the price of the system, Nintendo did not reveal the price point for the system during the conference, and speculation is it will be revealed a few months from now at a later conference. To say that Nintendo's conference was disappointing is an understatement. There was good news that Nintendo revealed. The Wii U will ship with 2 gamepads, just like the original NES.

Sony's 2012 E3 Showing

Sony in my opinion had the best E3 showing so far (as Nintendo's is tomorrow). What exactly did Sony show off? They showed off a new White PS Vita that will be bundled up with Assassin's Creed III: Liberation for the Vita. The game itself is the first game in the Assassin's Creed line that will feature a female assassin as the person you control. The game, according to Sony has been built from the ground up for the PS Vita. The bundle should be released this fall around the same time Assassin's Creed III for consoles is available.

Games for the PlayStation 3 that were shown were Beyond: Two Souls (which stars Ellen Page). The game takes a tackle on the question. What happens after death. The lead character (Ellen Page) character apparently experiences death, and comes back with some sort of entity, over the course of 15 years (or something along those lines). Visually speaking, and storyline wise, the game has a strong appeal to it. Sony showed off their fighting title, which looks like a Super Smash Brothers clone (which stars Nintendo characters), and this game like that one stars Sony characters. The game itself is called PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.

Microsoft's E3 2012 Showing

Microsoft kicked off the E3 press briefings with their annual E3 showcase, and for the most part, they disappointed. The show kicked off with a bang in game play from Halo 4, and then the show concluded with another attempt at a bang with new game play of the next Call of Duty title (which like Halo 4 is due out this fall).

Other games shown off were Resident Evil 6 (aside from Halo 4, the game I'm most looking forward to), Madden 13 and FIFA 13 (with Kinect controls). To be honest, the FIFA game looked intriguing, as if you foul mouth the refs in the game, Kinect picks up on it, and you get penalized for such language. Madden 13 honestly didn't look impressive with what was shown (Joe Montana was playing the demo). Gears of War Judgment was shown off for a 2013 release, and was shown with a teaser trailer (that should leave most, if not all Gears fans craving more).

A feature Microsoft showed off was Xbox Smart Glass, which allows you to take content (movies) from your Xbox 360 to your mobile devices, and back again (when you return home). In addition Xbox Smart Glass will allow you to use said mobile devices to control your game.

Microsoft's press conference could have been better if they actually showed something new (that wasn't previously shown heading into E3). The biggest game for Microsoft is likely to be Halo 4, with other big titles as mentioned above.

Mirror, Mirror On The, Nevermind...It's Friday Which Means

I spent it at the local AMC Theatres, however I only saw one movie, although there wasn't anything else out that warranted me seeing more than one movie, although I did almost buy a ticket to see Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Instead, the only movie I saw today was Snow White & The Huntsman. This was the second Snow White movie to be released this year, and without a doubt was the better of the two movies, although the first film centered more around the Queen than Snow White, as this film had an even balance.

Going into the film, I had my doubts about Kristen Stewart, for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason being she doesn't have the look for a Snow White. Having seen the film, my doubts lived up, as I didn't think she quite pulled the look off, but once I got over it (which was the first few minutes she appeared on screen) she actually grew on me, and as such I enjoyed the film. This was the first film I've ever seen with Kristen Stewart, and will probably be the only one for awhile, unless I'm somehow seeing Twilight, which isn't likely unless I'm seeing it with a girl, which isn't likely to happen anytime soon.

Home Church Out For The Summer

Last night was a fun time. Had a barbeque with everyone from home church, and I guess we won't be back in session officially until September. That was last night. Today, has been dull, boring, and frustrating. Dull and boring, because I don't have anything to do, and frustrating because once again I'm reminded how much I really want a job. I'm hoping I'm able to get a job this summer, and soon. I need one so I can save up for my own car, and eventually so I can move out.

One day it's as if things aren't so bad with my father and I, and the next it's a reminder how my father needs help, and that there's serious strain, that isn't going to go away unless I do move. Would be nice if I could move away somewhere for the summer, but that's just me. I'm not in any position for that to happen (financially speaking).

Book of Numbers - Complaining

As the title says, that was the topic of today's sermon at the church I go to. After sitting through it, I was left with a constant reminder of my father. Why is that? It's simple. Complaining is a national past time with him (unfortunately), and well he fit the sermon perfectly today.

The first set of questions that the bulletin asks are: "Why do we complain? How does it help our situation? Are there good complaints?"

Summer of Movies...Movies Already Out And Movies Yet To Come

The month of May is pretty much over (movie wise), with the next theatrical release date June 1st, and by all accounts, June should be a better month than what May provided. For the month of May, The Avengers set the bar (as far as summer movies go), and the rest of the month saw lackluster releases, or releases with some promise disappoint (looking at Dark Shadows, Battleship, and Men In Black 3), although the latter in that list managed to dethrone Avengers off it's top spot this past weekend, which is likely to be short lived, as Snow White and the Huntsman is released this upcoming Friday.

Another Friday=Another Day At The Movies

Just as the title says, I spent the day at the theaters again. (Seems to be standard for me, well when I can afford it that is, and once again by myself). I happened to see three movies today. Paid for two, and saw one free. Those two that I paid for, were the first two I saw today, and the third one, I used an IMAX pass to see.

The first two movies I saw, were Men In Black 3 (3D), and What To Expect When Your Expecting, and the third movie I saw was Dark Shadows. Out of the three movies, I enjoyed What To Expect When Your Expecting the most, and will say that I rather enjoyed it.

A Weekend In San Diego

The Angels (or the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, if you want to get technical) took on the San Diego Padres down at Petco Park in San Diego over the weekend, and I got to go all three games. Instead of driving there and back all three games, my dad and I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express down in Mira Mesa, San Diego. The Holiday Inn Express itself is only about twenty to thirty minutes away from the ballpark (via freeway of course), and is actually near a nice shopping center.

The shopping center is on the other side of the freeway from the hotel/motel/whatever it is that Holiday Inn Express falls under. In the shopping center are plenty of eateries, a few shopping markets (Ralphs and Albertsons), and a couple of banks. Upon arriving on Friday afternoon, we ate at Buca (which is an Italian restaurant), and although pricey, it was real good. You can either order a single serve entree off their lunch menu, or order a la carte that you share, and those portions are enough to either feed 2 (small portion), or more (large). The concept is similar to the Panda Inn, or P.F. Changs.

After eating, we then went across the street and actually checked in to the Holiday Inn Express, and did nothing for two hours except for watching some tv. After the downtime, we then headed down to Petco Park (which is in Downtown San Diego), and got there two hours before the game started (exactly two hours actually). On games Friday through Sunday, they let you in the stadium two hours before game time. There are several parking lots near the stadium, and we parked in the parking lot literally across the street from the park, and pricing to park was $20. If you don't want to park in a parking lot, you can take a trolley to the game, but I'm not sure where you would go to take one, but I'm sure it's a lot cheaper than the price to park at one of the parking lots.

Another Day, Another Movie

That pretty much sums up my day today (after I went out and got myself a pair of shorts and a new SD Card for my camera for my trip down to San Diego this weekend). I thought about seeing two movies, but I stuck with one. The movie I saw was once again The Avengers (my third time seeing it). I wanted to go see it today, because it was the last day showing at the local AMC on their ETX screen in 3D. The price I paid was once again $0, as I used my second pass. Normal price would have been $16.50, as it was past noon when I saw it.

Tomorrow night after the Angel game, I'll probably be seeing Battleship, and next week I'll be seeing Dark Shadows on the IMAX screen, and from the looks of it next Friday I'll be able to see Men In Black III on the IMAX screen as its looking like it will be showing at the local Regal Cinemas in that format. I have two passes to see a movie on the IMAX screen, hence why I'll be seeing them.

One Down (Three To Go)

I'm referring to baseball games this week. Tonight's game was probably the best game I've been to this year (outside of opening night), because the Angels bats came alive, and it was the Peter Bourjous bobble head giveaway as well. It was also the first game without Mickey Hatcher as the Angels hitting coach (he was fired on the 15th). Actually, it was also the night Weaver and Iannetta got frames commemorating the no hitter that was thrown on May 2, 2012.

The end result was a 7-2 victory for the Halos, and also a game that saw Albert Pujols connect for his second home run of the season, as well as Vernon Wells connecting on his sixth of the year (and his first that wasn't a solo homer). The other three games I'll be going to, are the three games this upcoming weekend in San Diego as the Angels take on the Padres. I'm looking forward to it (to say the least), as it's my first time ever visiting Petco Park.

Friday Plans Ruined By A Throat...

A sore throat that is. It's not a full blown sore throat (yet), but rather a mild one, so instead of being stupid, I decided to play it smart and stay home today. I was going to see four movies today, but instead I'll be seeing those four movies next week (either on Monday or Tuesday). I'd say this weekend, but I don't have access to a car this weekend.

As for the four movies I was planning on seeing, those were The Lucky One, The Avengers (3D ETX screen), Lockout, and Dark Shadows (IMAX). That would have set me back $6 to 8 dollars today had I seen them. (I have passes). Those passes are still good for next week, so I'm all set.

Thinking About Men's Outings

For the church I go to. The last outing, I came up with the notion of going to either a Quakes game, 66ers game, or Angels game for a men's event. We went to the Quakes game, and out of the events I've been to, I think it either had, or tied the other event for largest turnout.  The other event, was the hockey game at the Citizens Business Bank Arena.

Thinking about other possible events, I've thought about a barbeque (not sure how that would turn out), going to the movies (not sure how that would turn out), and I'm not really sure what else. I believe if the men gathered to go see a new movie, it might attract those whom don't normally turn out for men's outings within the church, to turn out, but I'm not sure.

Upon thinking, I decided to turn to google for help, and came across this website for some ideas: Ideas for Mens Ministry

Saw The Avengers Twice...

This weekend, as mentioned previously on one of my previous blog entries, and that was one of the highlights of my birthday weekend. The other was attending the Quakes game with the men from GracePoint (church I go to). I haven't gone out to a restaurant for dinner yet, nor have I had any cake, but that's alright. I'll probably buy myself cake, and I'll get to eat it too sometime this week (assuming I'm able to sell my laptop - the one that I won last month).

As far as seeing the Avengers twice, the second time I saw it, I saw it in 3D, and having seen it, I don't really think it's necessary to see it in 3D. There isn't enough effects in 3D to warrant the increase in price, although the depth perception is better, and to an extent, the sound is better. I will see it again at least one more time in 3D at AMC, as I want to see it on AMC's ETX screen (it's their version of their IMAX screen, although not the same), but the sound is much louder than the other auditoriums, and the price is only a dollar more than the regular 3D showing.

9 Years Ago Today

If there's one thing about time, it's that it flies. Figuratively speaking of course. Today marks the nine year mark my mom's been gone. I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I spent my 21st birthday that year visiting my mom in the hospital, and arguing with my brothers at the time to go with my dad and I to visit her in the hospital. Why the arguing? They were both playing a game on the Xbox, and I wanted them to go. Luckily I won out on the argument, and they went with us to see her.

The day later, May 5th, she passed away. In terms of officially being diagnosed with cancer and the day she passed, it was a short time, but in honesty it was probably longer than that. We just didn't know at the time. I still remember those nights I slept on the carpet floor and helping my mom around the clock, and the only times I didn't do that were on weekends and when I went to school.

I still picture her when we brought her into the hospital for one last time, and her begging us not to check her in, and what she said "if you check me in, I will die." Thinking back, she always told us she wouldn't make it to her 50th birthday. Turns out she was right. She was 49. Of course, this was before she knew she had cancer, and she would say that for years. Honestly, a part of me wonders if the dreams and visions I've had over the years were passed on from her. That's a whole different story, so I won't talk about that.

Thinking about things today, I'm still in the today sucks sort of mindset. I really don't like to do much of anything (if I can help it), and of course it always falls about a week before mother's day, and I don't really do anything on that day either. I do want to do something in her memory on the ten year anniversary mark, just don't know what as of right now. 

The Avengers - Midnight

Perhaps the most anticipated movie, or second most anticipated movie of the summer (Dark Knight Rises could very well be #1) was released in theaters today at midnight, which happened to fall on my birthday. I have to say one of the reasons why I enjoy going out to see a big movie in theaters is because of the crowd. The crowd for the auditorium I was in didn't disappoint, in terms of living up to the atmosphere, but was disappointing with the extremely lame jokes. It's as if no one passed high school with all the lame comments being flung around. It also didn't help that the two people next to me were as rude as they come. Talking throughout the movie (and the guy actually laughed like a girl).

The trailers shown got a mixed reaction. The Dark Knight Rises got the biggest ovation, with Spider-Man getting the second biggest ovation. Battleship (the next big blockbuster due out in two weeks) got a few cheers and mostly boos. I don't take that as a good sign. Prometheus may actually have tied Spider-Man with the cheers. That movie looks (visually) amazing.

Tomorrow Is My 30th Birthday...

And the two things I've been primarily thinking about is moving on from my situation, and the day after, which is the nine year mark of my mother's death. To say it's a drag to be turning 30, yet still living at home, is a drag, annoying, and frustrating. I haven't been able to get a job, and as I try to get a job, day by day there is more and more strain on my relationship with my dad.

I'd like for that to not be the case, but the sad part is it's true. Kind of hard for it not to be, as his negativity gets the best of not only myself, but my brothers. If bashing was a sport, he'd be an all-star, going into the hall of fame. That's an even more sobering realization (to say the least).

A Five-Year Engagement

No, I'm not referring to myself, as I've never been in a relationship (don't see that changing anytime soon), so I've never been engaged, unless I've been sleeping through the last five years, but I'm referring to the movie I saw today. The movie itself, during the first twenty minutes or so, I felt no connection between Tom Solomon (Jason Segal) and Violet Barnes (Emily Blunt), but once the couple eventually moves from their current location to where a majority of the film takes place "Michigan," does the chemistry, and ultimately the movie get good.

The plot of the movie is a pretty predictable one, judging from the title alone, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good, as the film was. The film centered around Segal and Blunt, and their first meeting, and the time spent, and circumstances that keep them engaged, instead of getting married.

Seeing Avengers Midnight

Since I've had my license, I've yet to drive on down to the theaters for a midnight showing (of any kind). That's going to change this week, as my brother and I will be seeing the Avengers midnight, 12:01 AM on May 4th. It's a good way to kick off the summer blockbuster season, and more importantly, a good way to kick off my birthday.

I've yet to use any of my passes as well, so this week could be a movie week for me, or I could save them for a different day. (I have two IMAX passes, and two passes to for AMC as of this entry).

No Movies In April

That's true. I've managed to go a month without going to the theaters. I would have gone today, but I wasn't quite feeling up to going. Pretty much main reason why I haven't gone in April was because of funds (or lack thereof). Hopefully that changes sometime soon. It'd be nice to actually have income coming in. It's frustrating without it.

As for how I normally get money, when not working, I do so with contests I'm fortunate enough to win. I'll most likely be selling the laptop I won. It's frustrating, because when I do sell things, my dad complains. Actually he complains about everything. Another reason why a job would come in handy right now. Living here is getting to be a drag. Really amazes me how someone could be so negative, and continually bash everything.

Guess there's not really a point to this entry, other than I didn't make it to the theaters this month. It feels weird though. Usually I'll put up a few reviews on Friday's, and this month, well this month was the exception to that.

Taco Bell For Lunch

Normally after church on a Sunday, I'll eat whatever is at home, and do nothing for the rest of the day. Today was one of those exceptions however. Today my brother and I decided to go to Taco Bell (and bring food home). Had the Lakers not been playing, then we would have ate there, but since it's Game 1 of the playoffs, and they're playing, well, like I said, we brought food home.

Exactly what did I eat? I ate food if you want to get technical, but more specifically, I tried Taco Bell's new Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and the new Doritos Locos Taco. There's two flavors, the regular Doritos Locos Taco, and the Doritos Locos Taco Supreme ($1.29 and $1.79 respectively). I went with the cheaper taco. This wasn't the first, nor was it the second time I had the Doritos tacos, but it was the first time I ate it the same day. Having ate it on the same day for the first time, I have to say that there are good. One of my weaknesses (when it comes to food) is chips (more specifically, Doritos), so these in my opinion lived up to the hype. As far as the Cheesy Gordita Crunch, I had no expectations, so I wasn't disappointed with it. It was good.

After A 6-14 Start

The Angels have finally decided to cut Bobby Abreu (long overdue in my opinion) and have called up Mike Trout. As of this entry, those are the only two moves. Apparently, Trout will be playing everyday, and will start tomorrow.

My guess is Trout will take over in center, and Bourjous will be benched. He's struggling right now, and unless the Angels somehow trade Vernon Wells, then that's the most likely move, well at least from the way I look at things. It will be awkward (to say the least) if the Angels send Bourjous down, or wind up trading him to get some much needed bullpen help, considering Peter Bourjous bobblehead night is coming up next month.

Hopefully these two moves are enough of a starter to get the team going. At 6-14, they're already 9 games out of first, with a lot of baseball to go.

NFL Draft and Prizes

So today was Day 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft (couldn't come soon enough, as the constant draft mocks has gotten boring), and ordinarily, watching round one probably would've been the highlight of my day, but that wasn't the case today.

Yesterday, I had won two tickets to see The Hunger Games on an IMAX screen, and today, I got the code to print out the two tickets. Luckily for me (since the movie isn't being shown at the local theater by my house), the tickets are good for any movie showing on an IMAX screen, so I will probably be using them for The Avengers.

Then in the afternoon, I got a surprise delivery. It came via Fedex, but it was in an envelope. It turns out that I won a fourth place price in "LG's Do March Right" sweepstakes. The prize (which I haven't used as of this entry) is a $100 giftcard to NCAA.com/shop

Home Church Is Amazing

Well at least I find it to be amazing. Even though I'm quiet during the discussion part at Home Church on Tuesday night's (this week was understandable, as I have no expertise whatsoever on parenting), I find it such a joy to be a part of a group that I can learn from, in such a great manner.

So many wonderful people/friends, it really is nice to be able to connect on Tuesday nights. Tonight like I mentioned, I couldn't really relate to for most of it, as of yet, because I haven't reached the parenting side of things in my life, unless I have and just slept through it.

Having said that, I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to the break or not. (Summer break). Being able to listen to a bunch of different people gets me thinking constantly in a good way, which I feel is much needed in my life. Certainly everyone there is positive, and that alone is welcoming and refreshing, as there's a lot of negativity that goes on at home.

I don't really know what the point of this entry is, probably just to share my thoughts on home church, and well to write something.

Summer Means More Movies

Among other things to be exact. It also means it's time for myself to go the movies more often again, or at least when I can afford to. I'm actually in a drought when it comes to movies. I haven't been to the movies at all this month. It's been like that for two reasons. Firstly, I've gone to at least one game on a day I would normally go see a movie, and secondly, I haven't exactly had the money to go out and see one.

That will change this week however, as I do have my two free movie passes, along with coupons for two free sodas and two free popcorn's. As for what movie or in my case movies I will see this week, it depends. Out of the movies that are currently out, that I haven't had a chance of seeing yet, the following are the one's on my list: The Lucky One, Act of Valor, American Reunion, Lockout, October Baby, The Three Stooges, Titanic 3D, and possibly The Cabin in the Woods.

As for the upcoming summer movies, well The Avengers comes out on my birthday, and what better way to kick off the summer blockbuster movie season. I will probably be getting tickets for the midnight showing for that one. It will be the second midnight showing I've gone to, with the first being the last Harry Potter movie. I think I will enjoy The Avengers more, since it is my birthday that day.

Warmer Weather Means

I can get back on track with my walking again. The fact that for a few weeks the weather had been bipolar, kept me from going out for a walk like I want to. Having said that, since Sunday and not counting Tuesday (was at the Angel game), I've put up times of 40, 45, 50, and 60 minutes (respectively), with tonight of course being the 60 minute mark.

I'm also making it a point to not eat past 7 at night if I can help it. So far this week, that's been the case. I actually didn't eat anything at the Angel game once I was done eating (which was before 6:30, and I had Panda Express). Like I mentioned though, "if I can help it." I'm pretty much guaranteed to eat passed 7 in a few weeks at the Quakes game, and probably when I'm down in San Diego May 18th-20th.

Entering Contests Again

As mentioned in one of my earlier entries, one of my hobbies (as I'm currently without a job) is entering contests. I do the traditional contests, where you fill out a simple form, or contests that require you to use Facebook, or another popular format, through the usage of Twitter.

At the beginning of the year, I won these (golf clubs):

The A's, Angels, And A Bobble

Last night marked my fifth game of the season that I've gone to. Three of those games have been Angel games, and two of those have been Quake games. Normally on a Tuesday, I would have gone to home church (at least since I've started going to home church), but last night was an exception to that. The reason being is this:

The Sunday Following Easter

Last Sunday was Easter (I missed going to church that day), and today marked the start of a new series at my church. I guess the series is titled the "If" talk. The church bulletin states, "Now that we know about the resurrection, how should we now live? What's next for the life of a believer? The YouthBuilders kick this idea off with a journey through Philippians 2:1-11. We have all been given gifts, but now many of us are actually using them to serve the Lord?"

Other than hearing about the trip in India, nothing really stood out for me from the sermon. As far as the quote from Tony Campolo, "Identity is not found but created," I tend to find myself agreeing and disagreeing with it. I think it is often found and created. I think it just depends on the circumstance.

As far as the question, "Why is it so easy to be comfortable with church?" I think it depends on the church to be honest. I think if you find the right church, a church that you can call home, it's easy to be comfortable, otherwise it can be a struggle. When you find that church you call home, you notice the people more (in my opinion), and your surrounded by people that are in the same mindset as you.

Still In Search of a Job

To be honest, I'm not having any luck either. It's worse when your living situation (such as mine) is less than ideal, and I'm constantly reminded I need to get a job (as if I don't look, when I do). That was the case today, when I got lectured (yelled at) for not picking up dishes in the kitchen. The problems with that is 1) I didn't say I would clean them (my younger brother did and 2) The mess is primarily from the one doing the lecturing (yelling).

My living situation, I'm frustrated with it. I can't move (don't have an income), live with my father and two brothers. My relationship with my father still feels strained. Hasn't felt the same since an episode last year. Honestly the relationship hasn't felt the same since I started going to church, and actually making friends.

I wouldn't let it get to me, except for my father holds grudges, and any little thing these days seems to set him off, like the episode with the kitchen today.

It's Frustrating...

I'll get to what's frustrating in a moment, as I lead up to it. Two Friday's ago, I went to the local AMC Theatres (as mentioned on a blog post) to see Wrath of the Titans and Mirror, Mirror. I happened to go when the theater first opened. Since it first opened, I also was just about the first to use the main's men's restroom.

Upon entering the main men's restroom the first thing you noticed was the foul smell, because there was at least one toilet that was clogged up with (for a lack of better word) "poop" in the toilet. I sent AMC an email about it, and that's all I was expecting from it.

Little did I know, an AMC manager personally responded to my email, and didn't just apologize, but offered to send me two movie passes as an apology, to get me to comeback. I posted this on my Facebook as a status update, and was thankful for such a thing.

The Star Wars Xbox 360 Bundle

Microsoft recently came out with something they do best in the gaming world. That is a new limited edition Xbox 360 bundle. This one is no different. However, it's also the most expensive bundle to date. It's the Star Wars Xbox 360 bundle (of which you can see here). What makes this bundle so expensive however is the addition of the Kinect.

I myself am in the market for a new Xbox 360, however I doubt I will be able to afford one anytime soon, as I still haven't had any luck in getting a job. If I did have the funds for one, I would get the one that my older brother just bought (this one)

Since I don't have a working 360 (there's a white one that has the red rings error), I'm probably going to wind up selling the two new games I have for the system. That would be the Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition, and Gears of War 3.

After 6 Games

It's safe to say the Angels have some holes in this early start to the 2012 season. There's Vernon Wells in left field, the situation with Mark Trumbo and Alberto Callaspo at Third Base, along with Bobby Abreu on the bench, and lastly, but certainly not least is the bullpen, or lack there of.

First and foremost, it's only a matter of time until Vernon Wells is either benched, or somehow traded and Mike Trout brought up, permanently. It's almost laughable that perhaps the best prospect in the game is stuck in the minors, but thanks to some bonehead moves made by the prior GM, that's the situation the Angels currently find themselves in.

Skipping the third base situation for a bit, I will go on to Abreu. I'm going to go out and guess that he will be moved by the trading deadline, and won't be surprised if its sooner than that. Even though he has hit in his first two starts of the season, if he's playing for a long period time, that's not a good sign as to how the Angels are doing.

Now with regards to Trumbo and Alberto, with regards to the battle for third, I think the leash for Trumbo to learn third is unfortunately short. In six games, he's made three errors already. Actually he's played in four games, and has committed three errors. The team itself has played 6. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see him packaged with Vernon Wells in a trade that brings in a legit All-Star caliber third basemen and possibly a relief pitcher.

Spending Easter At The Ballpark

Normally on a Sunday, I go to church (that is since I've been going to the church), so to say it felt weird to not go, is an understatement. Especially on Easter Sunday (last time I missed was last August, and that was for the college group camping trip, which even then I'm not sure that really counts as missing).

Regardless, today I went to my third baseball game of the year (season only started on Thursday), however prior to that I ate at El Torito for Sunday Brunch, down in Anaheim. When we got to the ballpark, we got in just as they were first letting in fans into the stadium (or at least the third base side, home plate gate might have been opened sooner).

The game itself, was nothing really to write home about. Ervin Santana (Angels starting pitcher) didn't really have his stuff today. He gave up a first inning homerun (that Bourjous should have caught, but popped out of his glove and over the wall), which ultimately set the pace for the game. The homerun put the Royals on top 3-0, and they really didn't look back from there. They went on to win 7-3, taking 2 out of 3 to start off the season.

Back to Back...Home Openers

As the title says, Thursday night, I went down to Rancho Cucamonga (well not down, as it's the next city over), but anyways I was in Rancho Cucamonga to see the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers Single A Affiliate) take on the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Single A Affiliate). It was a nice little experience (as most minor league games usually are, and opening day regardless of the league added to the overall experience).

The game itself, wasn't anything to write home about. Defensively, it was a poor game (more so on the Quakes, than the 66ers, although the 66ers catcher did air mail a throw into center field allowing a run to score), but the Quakes defensively were worse. The catcher for the Quakes thought it would be fun to drop a good majority of strikeouts and throw to first to complete the out. Luckily he didn't throw it pas the first baseman into right field.

The end result of the game? 66ers won 6-5 in 11 innings, and following, there were fireworks, which was a decent show in of itself. Prior to the game however, former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda was out on the mound as part of the pregame ceremonial first pitch (although he didn't throw a pitch).

LA Kings Game 4/2/2012

So last night, I was able to attend my first hockey game of the season at the Staples Center of all places, to see the LA Kings take on the Edmonton Oilers. I won the two tickets on AM 570's website last week, and our seats we're the best we've ever had at the Staples Center for an event (that wasn't wrestling).

We had seats in the PR 7 section (which cost $133 each), but we also had a letter from AM 570, and the LA Kings. Once inside the building, we went into section 208, and proceeded to sit on two thrones, which as the letter described was "King For A Day" seats.

Wrestlemania 28 In The Books

Last night was Wrestlemania, and the $64.99 price was worth it. It's usually the only pay-per-view we'll order, although this year we made an exception as we also ordered the Royal Rumble (as it was the 20th anniversary). The most disappointing match of the night was the first match. It only lasted 18 seconds. Sheamus beat Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship to start off the event. Granted, I wanted Sheamus to win the match, but the fact that it lasted 18 seconds was disappointing (to say the least), although it was an impressive 18 seconds.

The best entrance of the night went to CM Punk, with Triple H a close second. The Rock and John Cena had impressive entrances as well, and the Undertaker, well he had a typical Undertaker entrance, oh and he extended his streak at Wrestlemania to 20-0.

Now that Wrestlemania 28 is over with, it's time to look forward to the next biggest pay-per-view. Summerslam. I will be going to that (my first pay-per-view event), at the Staples Center in August. Following that, is the road to Wrestlemania 29 (alright not really, as that doesn't begin until January). However, the WWE during the ppv last night announced a contest where they are giving away 100 trips to Wrestlemania 29 (which is in New York next year). I've already entered twice as of this writing (you can enter once a day). To enter, you have to do so here.

Big Sports Week Kicks Off Tomorrow For Me

Why do I say tomorrow? Tomorrow is Wrestlemania 28, and it's already been ordered. It cost a little more than a new Xbox 360 or PS3 game at $64.99, but it's worth it. Definitely looking forward to seeing the Undertaker try to go 20-0, and the much hyped, and greatly anticipated match (amongst wrestling fans) - Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson taking on John Cena. Also, it doesn't hurt that the pre-show starts at 2, and the event itself starts at 4, and runs 4 hours.

That's just Sunday, but Monday I'll be going to the Staples Center thanks to the two tickets I won (still have to pickup on Monday) to see the Edmonton Oilers take on the Los Angeles Kings. Tuesday, I'll be going to home church, and I'll be honest, the Quakes exhibition that night tempted me, but I left it at that.

Thursday night however, I will be going down to the Quakes stadium for Opening Night. Nothing like opening night to get you in the mood for baseball. Capping it off on Friday night, I will be down in Anaheim for the Angels home opener. That night should be rocking, as it marks Albert Pujols first official game as an Angel (aka, the stats count, hence official).

Won 2 Contests This Past Week

As the title says, I was lucky enough to win 2 contests this past week. (No, the lotto wasn't one of them), but I won 2 tickets to the LA Kings game on Monday April 2, 2012, and a few hours after church on Sunday, I won Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition for the Xbox 360.

Now if only I could win an Xbox 360 (or get a job and buy one), because I don't have a system to play the game on right now.

There's A Titan In The Mirror

Well not really, unless your wearing a Titans football jersey and looking at yourself in the mirror. That's referring to the two movies I saw today. Wrath of the Titans and Mirror Mirror. Wrath of the Titans is the sequel to 2010's Clash of the Titans, and Mirror Mirror is another telling of Snow White (only from the perspective of the Queen, played by Julia Roberts).

Going into today, I went in expecting I'd enjoy Wrath of the Titans more so than Mirror Mirror, and in large part that held true. Wrath of the Titans, in my opinion was better than Clash of the Titans. Plot-wise, the film centers around Perseus (played by Sam Worthington) originally rejecting his calling, and later embracing his destiny by setting out to rescue a captured Zeus (played by Liam Nesson). The film also sets the end of the Olympic Gods (although there were quite a bit that we're missing from the film). The only gods that make an appearance in the film were Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, and Hades.

The film does set up a possible third film (although I'm guessing that it in large part depends on its box office run). I won't say how the movie does it, but I'll just say it involves the ending.

Up second was Mirror Mirror. This film was actually more enjoyable than I'd thought it be, once I looked past the fact that I thought it was poorly cast (Snow White and the Prince). Lily Collins (played Snow White) through the first half of the film was rather forgettable, with acting skills clearly lacking. Scenes that required her to cry, and the emotion was clearly lacking. The line alone from the prince (played by Armie Hammer) "Snow White is the most fairest, in fact the most beautiful woman in the world" really didn't do Collins any favor either. If anything, it makes you wonder why they didn't go with someone you could picture as being the most beautiful woman in the world.

Julia Roberts in my opinion was the brightest spot in the film (from start to finish). Lily Collins in my opinion didn't come into her own as Snow White until the halfway point of the film (or when she leaves the palace). Armie Hammer however never really is believable as a prince. I'm not saying he was bad, I'm just saying he wasn't believable as a prince. The film is good to take your family to see (I saw it by myself, because well I see a majority of films by myself).

Neither of the two movies are in the same category of The Hunger Games (film I saw last week), and if you haven't seen that, I'd advise seeing that one first. If you were going to see a movie by yourself this weekend (and you've already seen The Hunger Games), then I'd recommend Wrath of the Titans (unless you haven't seen Clash of the Titans, or didn't care for the first one).

Getting Back To My Routine

Now that the weather is starting to warm back up, and California's weather isn't as bipolar as it was the past week to two weeks, I'm eagerly anticipating to getting back on my routine of walking at least an hour every night. My ultimate goal is still get back down to 200 pounds and then really go from there. In all honesty, would like to get down to 175 pounds, but we'll see. I've done it before like I've mentioned in one of my other blog entries, but we'll see. First thing's first and that is 200.

E3 2012 Only A Few Months Away Means...

I'm closer to going to Summerslam at the Staples Center. Alright, so that isn't exactly what it means (E3 is the Electronic Expo where all the video game companies show off their latest products (consoles/games) that are due out between the time of the expo (which is June 5-7) and the end of the year.

Anyways, what I was getting at, is that since it's rapidly approaching, it's also that time of the year where rumors start flying, and apparently yesterday was no different. Gaming site Kotaku reported this in regards to the PS4, and then of course there's still the rampant discussion and anticipation of Nintendo's Wii U, which Nintendo is due to give a release date and price at this year's E3. I've thought about saving up for a Wii, because I've yet to play the latest Zelda game (even though my brother has it), but at this point (at least for me), it's out of the question and I'm better off just saving for the Wii U.

The Whole What Would You Do With $540 Million Thing

Well, I've seen others talk about it (either through Facebook or Twitter), and I've had to time to sit back and reflect on it, and my answer is the same since the last time I bought, and have ever bought a lottery ticket. (For those unaware, that's the current jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery on Friday). I would give more than half of it to charity/church. Whatever else I'd have left over, I'd use it to help others that are close or are a part of my life. I'd worry about myself last (if that's even possible).

For anyone that is reading my blog, comment below. What would you do if you won the $540 million jackpot?

My Blog Direction

I noticed that prior to this entry, I had written 73 blog entries. That's not bad (I suppose), but sitting here thinking about it, I'm not sure the direction I eventually want to take this into. I'm thinking that once I eventually do get a job, I do want to have some giveaways. Why is that? I want to get followers, and comments on my blog (on my entries or whatever), but I think that's where I want to go.

Secondly, I want this to give me an avenue first and foremost to just write and share what is on my mind. I'm quiet by nature (too quiet, and it bugs me sometimes, ok a lot), but I do express myself quite well with writing, and I don't know, but eventually I would like to write a book at some point in my life. That's always been a goal of mine. Something I would talk to my mom about, and it showed. Growing up as kids, every year we'd have to give our parents a Christmas Wish List (by Black Friday), and my mom would tell me she would look forward to mine the most. The reason being is I used to write her anywhere from 10 to 15 pages worth of my thoughts throughout the previous year.

So in essence, you can say that I like to write. I do write poetry from time to time as well, but I only share that with a select few (when I do write), and haven't been as inspired to write anything new (at least not lately).